The present invention relates to devices for preparing brewed beverage compositions. In particular, the present invention relates to novel processes for preparing brewed beverage compositions.
Brewed beverages such as coffees, teas, and cocoas, are widely consumed. In recent years, demand for enhanced quality of these beverages has dramatically increased, as well as the popularity of cafxc3xa9s and coffee houses that utilize high quality ingredients and complex equipment to produce a variety of different beverages. Additionally, beverages having creamy, sweet, or other flavor enhancing characteristics, and/or foam on the surface of the beverage, have gained tremendous popularity, particularly in the field of cappuccinos, espressos, and flavored beverages.
However, traditional techniques for providing creamy or sweetened beverages, or beverages having some other flavor enhancing characteristic, require time-consuming and often expensive steps. Accordingly, even though a consumer may prefer a beverage having a special flavor, the consumer may be less likely to prepare such a beverage given the work, ingredients, or equipment required. This problem is particularly exacerbated for those consumers desiring such a beverage in the home environment.
Additionally, foaming techniques often require complex, time-consuming, and/or equipment-dependent steps, for example, the use of expensive mechanical devices that create steam or whipped creamy ingredients. For example, preparation of foamed beverages requires a user to clean the filter, pot, and cream steamer after each use. This is a particular disadvantage for the at-home consumer who desires a single serving of a cafxc3xa9 quality beverage which is quickly and easily prepared, without the need for cleaning and preparing the beverage brewer for its next use.
Various single-use brewing units have been proposed in the art, particularly for simplification of the brewing process. For example, EP 0.756,844, to Gotham et al., published Feb. 5, 1997 describes a cappuccino brewing kit in which two filter pouches are utilized in conventional electric espresso machines. One filter pouch contains roast and ground coffee, and the other filter pouch contains a creamer. Indeed, the document states that an important aspect of the cappuccino brewing kit is that it maintains a separation between the roast ground coffee and the creamer, which separation assures that the creamer can wet and dissolve without blocking the passage of water through the brewing kit.
Additionally, there has been minimal focus on the preparation of foamed beverages without the use of mechanical means, particularly in the field of single-use beverage brewing devices. Problems inherent in providing such kits include the creation of foam within these devices, with inefficient delivery of such foam to the final brewed beverage.
It is therefore recognized that there are significant problems related to providing such beverage brewing units in order to provide a high quality brewed beverage. The present inventors have discovered easy to use beverage brewing devices, which may be used with low pressure, convenient brewing systems, and which overcome the foregoing problems. Various embodiments of the invention are provided which facilitate fluidization during the brewing process, as well as inhibition of channeling and adsorption of ingredients on, for example, roast ground coffee particles. Additionally, the present beverage brewing devices facilitate preparation of a foamed beverage by chemical means, which is particularly desirable for consumers preparing such beverages at home. In particular, the brewing devices do not require the use of traditional mechanical systems to generate the foam. Accordingly, therefore, the present inventors describe herein beverage brewing devices which overcome the foregoing problems and may be utilized to provide a high quality beverage with ease of preparation.
The present invention relates to beverage brewing devices which are useful for facilitating fluidized beverage brewing. In particular, the present invention includes a number of embodiments, including beverage brewing devices comprising one or more ingredient extraction chambers, wherein at least one of the ingredient extraction chambers comprises a composition comprising:
a) a first component selected from the group consisting of roast ground coffee, leaf tea, and mixtures thereof; and
b) a second component selected from the group consisting of instant coffee, instant tea, cocoa, and mixtures thereof;
wherein the ratio of the first component to the second component is from about 4:1 to about 25:1, by weight.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, beverage brewing devices are described which comprise one or more ingredient extraction chambers wherein at least one of the ingredient extraction chambers contains a composition comprising:
a) a first component selected from the group consisting of roast ground coffee, leaf tea, and mixtures thereof;
b) a second component selected from the group consisting of instant coffee, instant tea, cocoa, and mixtures thereof; and
c) a third component selected from the group consisting of creamers, sweeteners, flavorings, thickening agents, edible carriers, dyes, foaming agents, buffers, emulsifiers, processing aids, and mixtures thereof;
wherein the ratio of the first component to the second component is from about 1:25 to about 25:1, by weight.
In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, beverage brewing devices are described which comprise one or more ingredient extraction chambers wherein at least one of the ingredient extraction chambers comprises a composition comprising:
a) a first component selected from the group consisting of roast ground coffee, leaf tea, instant coffee, instant tea, cocoa, and mixtures thereof; and
b) a second component which is a foaming component.
In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, beverage brewing devices are described which comprise one or more ingredient extraction chambers wherein at least one of the ingredient extraction chambers comprises a composition comprising:
a) a first component selected from the group consisting of roast ground coffee, leaf tea, instant coffee, instant tea, cocoa, and mixtures thereof; and
b) a second component which comprises three or more members selected from the group consisting of creamers, sweeteners, flavorings, thickening agents, edible carriers, dyes, foaming agents, buffers, emulsifiers, and processing aids.
The beverage brewing devices are useful for facilitating fluidizing brewing process such that all ingredients contained within the brewing device are accessed in the brewing process. Additionally, desirable properties of brewed beverages are attained without using separate and/or mechanical means. As an additional advantage, the cleaning processes typically required subsequent to preparation of beverages, and in particular the foamed beverages of the present invention, is diminished or avoided.